Tag: Breaking News

When Floyd Mayweather last stepped into a ring nearly two years ago to fight Andre Berto, he thought he was doing it for the last time.
This time, Mayweather says his impending retirement is for real.
“I gave my word to Al Haymon. I gave my word …

When Floyd Mayweather last stepped into a ring nearly two years ago to fight Andre Berto, he thought he was doing it for the last time.

This time, Mayweather says his impending retirement is for real.

“I gave my word to Al Haymon. I gave my word to my children. And one thing I don’t want to do is break that. … This will be my last fight,” Mayweather said Thursday at a media conference call for his Aug. 26 fight against ConorMcGregor.

Mayweather, who retired after earning a unanimous-decision win over Berto in September 2015, spent most of the conference call reflecting on a career that ranks among the greatest in boxing history. He would set an all-time record with 50 wins without a defeat should he beat McGregor, breaking a tie with Rocky Marciano.

“I don’t try to focus on other fighters, but I’m appreciative for every fighter that paved the way for me to be where I’m at,” Mayweather said. “Even though this is No. 50, this is my 50th fight, that’s not my focus. My focus is to give the fans an exciting fight. … Rocky Marciano is a legend. Rocky Marciano did it his way. I’d just like to it the Mayweather way.”

McGregor, the most famous face in mixed martial arts, is making his boxing debut after becoming the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two championships. Some have wondered whether McGregor, in the prime of his career, is taking too big of a risk switching sports altogether in a match that could lower his star power.

Mayweather said he believes his decision to put his undefeated record on the line is more of a risk.

“I believe I’m taking the bigger risk, I have the 49-0 record,” Mayweather said. “When a fighter has lost before, if he loses again, they say it’s nothing he lost before. But when a boxer has been dominating for twentysome years, never lost, everything is on the line. My legacy, my boxing record, everything is on the line.”

Mayweather also doubled down on his comments acknowledging that he may have lost a step at age 40.

“I’m just being honest, I don’t think I’m the same Floyd Mayweather I was 21 years ago, of course not. I don’t think I’m the same Floyd Mayweather that I was 10 years ago. I’m not even the same Floyd Mayweather I was five or two years ago. But I said I still have a high IQ in that ring, and I said experience wise it leans towards me,” he said.

The fight will take place using eight-ounce gloves, rather than the standard 10-ounce gloves, thanks to a waiver granted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. McGregor typically fights using four-ounce gloves in UFC while boxing typically requires 10-ounce gloves for any weight class above 147 pounds.

Mayweather said that was put in place to avoid excuses on either side, saying, “I’m not really worried about the outcome, I’m worried about excitement. I understand he’s used to fighting in four-ounce gloves…I want to make him feel as comfortable as possible. I’m not going to have any excuses, and I don’t want him to have any excuses.”

As for his post-boxing career, Mayweather said he will focus on real estate ventures, his children and his Mayweather Productions business. He said he wants to leave a legacy behind for his children to take over the businesses and expand them once they graduate from college.

UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor said he’s planning to “break” Floyd Mayweather Jr. within four rounds during their highly anticipated boxing match next week at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
McGregor, one of the best trash-talkers in combat sport…

UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor said he’s planning to “break” Floyd Mayweather Jr. within four rounds during their highly anticipated boxing match next week at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

McGregor, one of the best trash-talkers in combat sports, made the prediction during an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s TBS talk show:

While McGregor is aiming for a quick victory, he’s also said he wouldn’t mind an extended fight with the five-division world champion, perDaniel Matthewsof theDaily Mail. The UFC sensation said that might help give boxing fans more respect for MMA.

“(But) part of me is hoping that maybe he can last … part of me wants to show some skill and to dismantle him,” McGregor said Wednesday. “We are ready for absolutely every scenario. I am ready to go to war for the full 12 rounds and I’m ready to put him away in the first 10 seconds.”

He added: “I’m just looking forward to August 26 and proving what I’m saying and educating the world of what martial arts is and giving the fans and everybody a good solid fight and earning my respect in this game also.”

The 29-year-old Irishman is a sizable underdog in the high-profile, cross-sport clash, which doesn’t come as a surprise given his extremely limited boxing experience—this is his first official fight—and Mayweather’s undefeated record.

Yet,Brett Okamotoof ESPN.com noted UFC President Dana White believes it will be a competitive battle despite the large gap in experience.

“All these naysayers, let me tell you what,” he said. “This fight goes two ways. Either Floyd Mayweather runs around and does his style of fighting, defense, stays away from Conor and tries to not get hit. Conor will go right after Floyd Mayweather and try to knock him out. That’s Conor’s style. When have you ever seen a boring Conor McGregor fight?

“And then there’s the other side, where Floyd thinks that Conor is so weak at boxing he comes right after him. Speed kills, tries to use his speed and actually knock Conor McGregor out. I want it to be a good fight and I truly believe it will be a good fight.”

All told, the fact Mayweather hasn’t competed in nearly two years since his victory over Andre Berto in September 2015 gives McGregor at least a puncher’s chance. But knocking one of the best defensive fighters in history out inside the first four rounds would be a shocker.

The Aug. 26 showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor is on track to do record-breaking business.
UFC president Dana White addressed the expected financial implications of the Mayweather-McGregor spectacle during a Wednesday conference c…

The Aug. 26 showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor is on track to do record-breaking business.

UFC president Dana White addressed the expected financial implications of the Mayweather-McGregor spectacle during a Wednesday conference call.

“This is the biggest event that has ever happened in combat sports,” White said. “This fight will reach over a billion homes worldwide.”

Rovell noted White said the fight currently has an over/under of 4.9 million total buys on pay-per-view.

“Everything is tracking right now like we’re going to kill this thing,” said White.

There has been some hand-wringing about the number of tickets sold for the fight.Lance Pugmireof theLos Angeles Timesreported Aug. 7 there were still 3,000 seats available at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Mark Shapiro, co-president of the WME/IMG agency that owns UFC, said Wednesday it would be “impossible for us to not break the record” of a $72.2 million gate set by the 2015 match between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, perDarren Rovellof ESPN.com.

McGregor is thebiggest box-office drawin the UFC. Mayweather vs. Pacquiaosold4.4 million buys on pay-per-view in addition to its record-setting gate.

The combination of McGregor and Mayweather looks to be big enough that the fight will establish all sorts of new box-office records.

Just 10 days away from his epic showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Conor McGregor spoke with reporters on a conference call about his professional boxing debut and to silence any of the doubters about his chances to pull off the major upset.
…

Just 10 days away from his epic showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Conor McGregor spoke with reporters on a conference call about his professional boxing debut and to silence any of the doubters about his chances to pull off the major upset.

One of the big questions leading up to the fight was answered Wednesday when ESPN’s Brett Okamoto passed along word the Nevada State Athletic Commission approved the request to let Mayweather and McGregor wear eight-ounce gloves.

“I’m very happy with the way the NSAC handled it today,” McGregor said during the call, via MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani. “They were very fair throughout.”

McGregor also held firm in his belief that the fight won’t go past the second round now that he gets to use a lighter glove than the traditional 10-ounce ones used in a fight contested at 154 pounds.

“There is no way in hell that I’m not ready to fight in the deepest of trenches,” McGregor said, via MMA Fighting. “I don’t believe he makes it out of the second.”

Another key piece of business announced by the NSAC was Robert Byrd being given the task of serving as referee; Burt Clements, Dave Moretti and Guido Cavalleri were chosen as the judges who will score the bout, per Steven Marroccoof MMA Junkie.

McGregor had no criticism for Byrd or any of the judges selected or the process used to choose each of them, per ESPN’s Dan Rafael.

“Byrd is a good ref,” the UFC superstar said, via MMA Fighting. “He lets the fight take place. He has some links to MMA. His wife is an MMA judge.”

Moving onto Mayweather, the man who will be standing on the opposite side of the ring trying to knock him off his perch, McGregor isn’t intimidated by stepping into his opponent’s world to determine the better fighter.

“I do not care about his record,” he said, per Rafael. “I do not care about his achievements.”

In addition to not caring about Mayweather’s record or achievements, McGregor laid into anyone who doesn’t believe his ability will translate to boxing.

“The disregard and disrespect of my skillset, their minds are closed,” said McGregor, via MMA Fighting. “I look forward to going in and educating.”

Addressing his normal day job as a UFC fighter, McGregor said he still believes himself to be both the promotion’s featherweight and lightweight champion. He was the first person in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously after beating Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight belt last November.

However, as a result of his inactivity in the division, McGregor was stripped of the featherweight title. He still holds the lightweight title, despite not defending it since his victory over Alvarez.

McGregor issued a challenge to Mayweather while throwing the undefeated boxing star’s own words back at him:

Even though the odds of Mayweather ever stepping into the Octagon are virtually non-existent, McGregor was able to talk himself into a boxing match with one of the biggest stars in the sport.

McGregor lacks the experience and professional training going into the Aug. 26 showdown, but he’s doing everything in his power to make sure the world knows he’s going into it with his confidence high and is preparing to knock out Mayweather.

Conor McGregor is viewed as a heavy underdog for his Aug. 26 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., but that hasn’t stopped fans from throwing money on the UFC lightweight champion.
As a result of the betting, CBSSports.com’s Brian Campbell reported Mayweath…

ConorMcGregor is viewed as a heavy underdog for his Aug. 26 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., but that hasn’t stopped fans from throwing money on the UFC lightweight champion.

As a result of the betting, CBSSports.com’s Brian Campbell reported Mayweather’s odds have declined while McGregor‘s have improved. According to Campbell, Bovada has Mayweather as a 2-9 favorite, with McGregor sporting 13-4 odds.

To put those odds in perspective, Mayweather opened as a 2-45 favorite, while McGregor was a 19-2 underdog, according toOddsShark.

The fact McGregor has closed the gap so much could be evidence the four-city promotional tour he and Mayweather went on in July not only helped build interest in the fight but also established McGregor as more of an equal to Mayweather in the eyes of fans(Warning: video contains NSFW language).

Mayweather also did his best to put over McGregor in an interview with ESPN’sStephen A. Smith.

“He’s a lot younger. When you look at myself and Conor McGregor on paper, he’s taller, has a longer reach, he’s a bigger man from top to bottom,” Mayweather said. “He’s a lot younger, so youth is on his side. And I’ve been off a couple of years. And I’m in my 40s. So, if you look at everything on paper, it leans toward Conor McGregor.”

Still, none of that changes the fact McGregor is approaching his first professional boxing fight and facing off against one of the greatest defensive boxers ever, who also hasn’t lost in 49 professional bouts.

And clips from McGregor’s training have arguably hurt the perception of his ability in the ring:

Particularly those who backed McGregor shortly after the fight was announced could pad their bank accounts if McGregor is victorious on Aug. 26.

McGregor is the underdog for a reason, though, and him beating Mayweather would represent one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.